Electric heater



June 20, 1950 A. M. FooTE 2,511,910

ELECTRIC HEATER If'iled Sept. 155, 1948 Allen M. Foote INVENTOR. 4"

- I BY "8 wzsMm Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES yPATEN'i` OFFICE ELECTRIC HEATER Allen M. Foote, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Application September 13, 1948, Serial No. 48,965

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in electric heaters, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a heater of low current consumption and correspondingly low heat output, such as may be conveniently and effectively employed for eliminating dampness, mould, mildew, rust, etc., in clothes closets, bathrooms, storage cabinets, pianos, organs, radios, electronic equipment, and the like.

An important feature of the invention resides in the disposition of the heating element in the heater'body in an eccentric position, so to speak, whereby more heat tends to be radiated from one side of the heater than from the other side, and in this manner, the heater is well adapted for positioning on floors for heating the space above, or for suspension from ceilings for heating the space below, as prevailing conditions may dictate.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a long tubular housing for the heating element, this housing being well adapted to t, for example, the entire length of a piano keyboard, so that the heating eiect is properly distributed. Moreover, since the housing is round and smooth, it is devoid of recesses and protuberances such as would otherwise collect dust or lint and create a re hazard.

Important advantages .of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specication proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the invention, partially broken away;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the heating unit used in the invention, and;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the invention in association with clamp brackets for supporting the same on the oor, or the like.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the invention consists of an electric heater designated generally by the reference character I0, the same embodying in its construction an elongated housing assuming the form of a metallic tube I2, the same being provided at the ends thereof with closure caps I4, I6, as is best shown in Figure l.

The closure caps are simply inserted in the end portions of the housing and are secured in position by suitable fastening elements, such as for example, the screws I8. It is to be noted that diametrically enlarged outer end portions or heads 20, 22 of the caps I4, I6 respectively, protrude outwardly from the housing I2 and are formed with transverse bores 24, through which may be threaded suitable cords or chains, or the like, whereby the entire heater may be suspended from a ceiling, cover of a piano or suitable supporting structure.

Alternatively, as is shown in Figure 5. suitable resilient clamps 26 may be provided on the end portions of the housing I2 (clamps such as those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,711,730) which may be used for supporting the entire heater on a floor, or the like, without rolling.

The heating element used in the invention is designated generally by the reference character 28, and embodies in its construction a pair of spaced parallel tubes of dielectric material such as glass, for example, the same being disposed eccentrically in the housing I2 as is best shown in Figure 2, and being retained in position by a packing of granulated dielectric material 32. Helical electrical heating elements 34 extend through the tube 30 (see Figure 3) these elements, in fact, consisting of a continuous length of wire, an intermediate portion of which is uncoiled rather than helical, as shown at 36. This end portion is imbedded in a substantially U-shaped insulator 38 which has the end portions thereof inserted in the end portions of the tube 30, while the terminals 40 of the elements 34 are connected in any suitable manner to a pair of current conductors or wires 42.

The aforementioned closure cap I4 is formed in the inner portion thereof with a recess 44 and the wires 42 are knotted as at 46 in this recess, after which they pass outwardly through suitable bores provided in the cap I4 and are united into a cord 48 equipped with an attachment plug 50.

It is to be noted in this connection that the knot 46 in the wire 42, being disposed in the recess 44, will eiectively prevent any pulling, pushing or twisting force exerted upon the cord 48 3 from being transmitted through the wires 42 to the heating unit 2l, and accidental or unintentional displacement of the heating unit in the housing l 2 will thus be prevented.

It should be also explained vthat inasmuch as the heating unit is disposed eccentrically in the housing i2, more heat from the unit will be radiated to one side oi' the heater and then to the other, so that the heater may be positioned upon the floor for the purpose of heating the space above, or suspended 4from the ceiling for the purpose of heating the space below, as required.v

One of the cords for suspending the heater irom the ceiling, or the like, is indicated at 52 in the accompanying Figure 1.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoingdisclosure and accordingly. further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment oi' this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an electric heater, the combination of a pai; or spaced tubular supports of insulating material,

a substantially 'Li-shaped connector of insulating material having its end portions secured in one end of the respective supports, a vpail' of insulated conductors each having an end portion tliereoi.| secured in the remaining end of the respective supports, and a continuous resistance element having its ends connected to said conductors, said 'element including two helically coiled stretches positioned in the respective supports and an uncoiled intermediate portion between said stretches extending 4through said connector.

armar. Foofrn.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ville o! this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

